Particular training trainer arrested in reference to alleged abuse of particular wants scholar
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – A Charleston woman who worked as a special education teacher has been charged multiple times in connection with the alleged abuse of at least one child at the Wood Elementary School.
“On September 23, we were contacted by Wood Elementary (and) told that Trenton’s teacher would not be returning (to class),” said Beth Bowden, who has a third grader at Wood Elementary School. “We were told that this is all the information we could get at this point.”
According to Charleston Police, 66-year-old Nancy Boggs is charged with 23 counts and one charge of verbal abuse of a non-communicative child. Boggs was arrested on Thursday.
Investigators confirmed that the incident was reported in September.
Beth and Craig Bowden are the parents of the disabled child who was involved in the alleged incidents. They say they never had any idea what was going on in the classroom.
“Trenton never came home telling us something happened at school; he didn’t behave any differently, “said Beth Bowden. “He doesn’t handle abuse like other children, so I don’t think he understands that it was wrong,” continued Craig Bowden.
Officials from Kanawha County Schools say Boggs was a special education teacher and the incidents were videotaped in the classroom. The school management then informed the police.
The Bowdens saw the footage from the wood elementary school classroom and told WSAZ that it moved them to tears.
“Trenton didn’t do his job right, so Nancy Boggs grabbed his neck, turned his head to her and hit him in the face,” Craig Bowden told WSAZ. “Then he burst into tears and shouted ‘I want my papa’ and she said, ‘You are papa not coming, he is not allowed in here, your papa will not help you’.”
Superintendent Tom Williams said what little he saw was “very worrying.” Williams said the administrators are working on additional training for special education teachers and staff, including restraint and other certifications.
“There are cameras in our locked classrooms (with special needs), but the way the current law is written makes it very difficult for an administrator to view (the footage),” Williams said. “You must suspect something is going on before you can watch the video. In all cases, we are the ones who reported to the police what happened because our administrators suspected something based on a class visit or testimony from a child, and our administrators investigated and reported it immediately and we were able to quickly remove people from the Classrooms that should be removed. “
Currently, West Virginia law only allows certain parties to view footage from special needs classrooms when there is a suspected incident or investigation:
(k) Within seven days of receiving an application, a public school or school district permits viewing of a video recording by:
(1) An employee of a public school or school district involved in an alleged incident that was recorded on video and reported to the public school or school district;
(2) a parent or legal guardian of a student involved in an alleged incident that was recorded on video and reported to the public school or school district;
(3) an employee of a public school or school district under an investigation into an alleged incident that was videotaped and reported to the public school or school district;
(4) a law enforcement officer investigating an alleged incident that was recorded on video and reported to law enforcement agencies; or
(5) The Department of Health and Personnel in the context of a Child Abuse and Neglect Investigation: Provided that any access granted to the Department of Health and Personnel under this subdivision complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 USC §1232g.
Williams said they are working on social and emotional training for teachers so they know how to defuse a situation.
Boggs is the fifth school worker arrested in connection with alleged abuse. The other four former employees are linked to separate incidents.
Aide arrested on suspicion of molesting a special needs student
Fourth Middle School Employee Accused of Abuse in Special Education
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